Article of clothing

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an article of clothing, in particular for being worn directly on the skin, made of water- and/or wind-proof woven fabric, comprising a climate membrane and a substrate material, wherein the substrate material faces the skin. Channels ( 13 ) are formed in the substrate material ( 12 ).

The invention pertains to an article of clothing, especially for wearing directly on the skin, made of water- and/or wind-proof fabric consisting of a temperature-regulating membrane and a substrate material, wherein the substrate material faces the skin.

Clothing has the essential task of protecting the body from external influences. External influences consist primarily of the effects of weather, that is, the action of wind, moisture, and cold on the body. Clothing also has the task of making the wearer feel comfortable. Especially in the case of sports activities and high outdoor temperatures, it important to ensure that the heat and the perspiration produced by the body are carried away effectively.

To achieve good protection against the effects of weather, it is known that temperature-regulating membranes can be used. Such membranes make it possible to block the wind or water acting externally on the body while at the same time allowing water vapor to pass through from the inside to the outside so that the heat produced by the body and the perspiration can be carried away. The most well-known membranes are known under the names Goretex® and Sympatex®.

Although the use of temperature-regulating membranes offers the basic possibility of allowing the heat produced by the body to escape, this is possible to only a limited extent because of the technical limitations of these membranes. In particular, in the case of activities which are highly physically strenuous, such as running or cycling, the known membranes are very limited in their ability to allow the heat and moisture produced by the body to escape.

Here is where the invention proposes to create a remedy. The invention is based on the goal of creating an article of clothing which is able to carry away heat and perspiration sufficiently even during the course of extremely strenuous physical activities, during which very large amounts of heat and perspiration are produced. According to the invention, this goal is achieved in that channels are formed in the substrate material.

The invention thus creates an article of clothing, especially for wearing directly on the skin, which allows the defined escape of perspiration and heat even during very strenuous physical activities. The channels create an additional route by which heat and perspiration can be carried away; in addition to the possibility which the membrane provides for carrying away heat and perspiration, the channels thus contribute to an improvement in the temperature regulation of the body.

In an elaboration of the invention, the substrate material is stretchable. As a result of the stretchability of the substrate material, the dimensions of the channels can be changed by the movements of the sports participant during the sports activity. As a result of extension movements, for example, the channels are stretched, but they return to their original shape after the extension movement is over. This results in a pumping effect in the channels during the course of continuous movements, which leads to an improvement in the transport of heat and perspiration through the channels.

In an embodiment of the invention, the channels are provided with an opening at one end. This creates the possibility of guiding the heat produced by the body and the perspiration which is produced out of the article of clothing at a defined point.

In another embodiment of the invention, the channels are provided with openings at both ends. This creates the possibility of guiding the heat and moisture out of the article of clothing at both ends of the channels, which results in an increase in the transport capacity of the channels.

In an advantageous elaboration of the invention, the channels comprise a segment with a tapered cross section in the middle. This tapered segment causes the air being transported through the channel to accelerate. The channels thus work according to the venturi principle, which makes it possible to improve the heat regulation even more.

Additional elaborations and embodiments of the invention are described in the other subclaims. An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing and is explained below in detail:

FIG. 1 shows a diagram of an article of clothing in the form of leggings;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a diagram of another design of the article of clothing in the form of leggings;

FIG. 5 shows an enlarged diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a diagram of another design of an article of clothing in the form of leggings;

FIG. 8 shows an enlarged diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a diagram of an additional design of an article of clothing in the form of leggings;

FIG. 11 shows an enlarged diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional diagram of part of the article of clothing shown in FIG. 11.

The article of clothing 1 selected as the exemplary embodiment is intended in particular to be worn directly on the skin. It consists of a water-proof and wind-proof fabric, which is produced from a laminate serving as a temperature-regulating membrane. The temperature-regulating membrane 11 is arranged on a substrate material 12. The substrate material 12 faces the skin 2 and, in this exemplary embodiment, lies on the skin 2. Running leggings have been selected as the article of clothing by way of example.

Channels 13 are formed in the substrate material 12. In the exemplary embodiment, they extend essentially in a horizontal direction. In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1-9, the channels 13 are approximately triangular when seen from above. The channels 13 in the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1-3 and 7-9 have an opening 14 at only one end, so that air can escape from the channels only at this end, as symbolized by the arrows. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1-3, in which the widest cross section of the channels 13 is located at the open end, the smallest cross section of the channels 13 is provided at the open end in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 7-9.

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 4-7 [Sic→4-6-trans.], the channels are provided with openings 14 at both ends. As a result, air can escape from the channels at both ends, as symbolized again by the arrows. In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 10-12, an opening 14 is also provided at each end of the various channels 13. As a result, air can escape at both ends in this exemplary embodiment as well, as also symbolized by the arrows. As a modification of the other exemplary embodiments, however, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 10-12, the channels 13 have been provided with a different shape. They therefore no longer have an essentially triangular shape; instead, the channels have a tapered segment 15 in the middle. As a result of this tapered segment, the transported air is accelerated, because the channels 13 function in the manner of a venturi nozzle.

The way in which the inventive article of clothing functions is described below on the basis of the running leggings selected as an exemplary embodiment: When the running leggings are worn during a run, the legs obviously bend and straighten. The substrate material is in its normal state when the leg is extended. When the knee is bent, the substrate material 12 stretches, as a result of which the cross section of the channels 13 increases. When the leg is extended again after the bending, the substrate material 12 returns to its original configuration. In this way, a continuous change between the stretched and unstretched state of the substrate material 12 is produced during the run, as a result of which the cross sections of the channels 13 are first increased and then decreased, also in a continuous manner. This results during the run in the production of a continuous pumping effect, which positively affects the dissipation of heat and moisture.

Because the substrate material 12 rests on the skin 2, the channels 13 are surrounded on all sides, i.e., by the substrate material 12 on one side and by the skin 2 on the other, so that the channels 13 acquire a closed wall. In this way, a channel which is open only at its ends is created, which makes possible to achieve very high level of performance with respect to the dissipation of heat and moisture. 

1. An article of clothing, especially to be worn directly on the skin of a user, made of wind-proof fabric consisting of a temperature-regulating membrane and a substrate material, wherein the substrate material faces the skin, characterized in the channels (13) are formed in the substrate material (12).
 2. An article of clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the substrate material (12) is stretchable.
 3. An article of clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the channels (13) are provided with an opening (14) at one end.
 4. An article of clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the channels (13) are provided with openings (14) at both ends.
 5. An article of clothing according to claim 1, characterized in that the channels (13) comprise a segment with a tapered cross section (15) in the middle.
 6. An article of clothing according to claim 2, characterized in that the channels (13) are provided with an opening (14) at one end.
 7. An article of clothing according to claim 2, characterized in that the channels (13) are provided with openings (14) at both ends.
 8. An article of clothing, especially to be worn directly on the skin of a user, made of wind-proof fabric consisting of a temperature-regulating membrane and a substrate material, wherein the substrate material faces the skin, characterized in that channels (13) are formed in the substrate material (12), said channels (13) having an opening (14) at one end, said substrate material (12) being stretchable in use, whereby, the dimensions of the channels (13) are changed by activity of the user to create a pumping effect in the channels (13) during the course of continuous movements of the user to transport heat and perspiration in the channels (13) out the openings (14). 